This is all about one of my great loves-baking! Cupcakes are what I really love making,
however I enjoy all baking, anything from a simple Victoria Sponge, puddings, bread, biscuits
to Game Pies and a good old Sunday Roast!! I will share some of my baking experiences
with you; recipes that I think everyone should know about and some of my funny
and distastrous moments. This will not be restricted just to the kitchen!

Friday 29 July 2011

Biscuits- the bane of my life!

Your hips are like a biscuit geiger counter. Instead of measuring nuclear particles, they measure biscuit intake!! Displaying for all to see the amount of biscuit activity in your life! I am ashamed to say that mine are rather active in their display; apart from the odd G&T-well at east 1 a day, my other guilty pleasure in life is BISCUITS!
I regularly walk with my great friend Jo, (of Jo's Blue Aga fame); we walk miles round the beautiful countryside where we live accompanied by various dogs.  Mainly grumbling about children, occasionally men and life in general (no grumbling)!!  However  most of our chat is devoted to our mutual appreciation of all things baking!
Having completed our walk, we had the obligatory coffee and while chatting (yes I know, we had already been gassing for hours)!! Jo was pottering about the kitchen, as she always does. I was on the internet, not really taking any notice of what she was up to. The next thing I know, a gorgeous, soft, melt in the mouth exquisite example of a chocolate cookie was placed in front of me. Now, I have known this lady for years and she never ceases to amaze me, in what she is able to whip up in no time at all; and on this occasion without me even noticing!
I was telling this tale to my boys when I got home, Charlie, my youngest a convert to macaroons(ever since having to sample various flavours for Jo) insisted that I make cookies for them. Now Cupcakes, I can churn out in my sleep, delightful melt in the mouth cookies are another matter. Never one to turn down a challenge I started the cookie task immediately.

These are what I made, double choc chip cookies, ever so easy and apparently even better than Sainsburys, according to Jack!! What more recognition could I ask for?!!

Perfect every time cookies!!
 250g plain flour 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp salt
170g unsalted butter
200g soft brown sugar
100g caster sugar
1tbs vanilla paste (or essence)
1 egg yolk
1 whole egg
200g choc chips (either white, milk choc or mixed)

Sieve the flour, bicarbonate and salt, leave to one side.
Having melted the butter over a low heat, add the sugar and mix well. Beat in the eggs and vanilla paste until you have a lovely creamy mixture. Mix in the dry ingredients and finally add the choc chips. Stir well until you have a lovely thick dough.

Cookie dough, ready for baking
I use an ice cream scoop to plonk the perfect amount onto a lined baking sheet (grease proof paper). Bake in a pre heated oven (160) for 4 minutes, remove from the oven and bang the whole tray on a hard surface a couple of times (this gets the air out of the dough), return to the oven for a further 4 minutes.  Remove, bang sharply again and bake for a further 2 minutes, until golden brown.  They will be crispy at the edges and still quite soft in the middle. 

Having removed from the oven, leave on the baking sheet for a few minutes then place on a wire cooling rack.


These are best eaten while still warm!!  (Although they can be stored an airtight tin, not relevant in this house as they were wolfed down in no time at all)!! 

 Here are my official tasters for the day, Charlie and his friend Joe.  They were busy fishing but managed to stop for a few minutes.

Their verdict-"Totally Lush"!!
 





2 comments:

  1. Ah my lovely friend, I enjoy the gassing, baking, walking and these cookies look fantastic, I will be giving them a try in the very near furture!!!!

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  2. Brilliant! Haven't known Jo as long as you but the above pottering and conjuring magical baking seems to sum it up x

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